What do you think?
Rate this book
Earthdivers (Single issues) #1
Earthdivers #1
Stephen Graham Jones—New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians and My Heart is a Chainsaw—makes his ongoing comics debut with Earthdivers!
The year is 2112, and it’s the apocalypse exactly as expected: rivers receding, oceans rising, civilization crumbling. Humanity has given up hope, except for a group of outcast Indigenous survivors who have discovered a time travel portal in a cave in the middle of the desert and figured out where the world took a sharp turn for the worst: America.
Convinced that the only way to save the world is to rewrite its past, they send one of their own on a bloody, one-way mission back to 1492 to kill Christopher Columbus before he reaches the so-called New World. But taking down an icon is no easy task, and his actions could prove devastating for his friends in the future.
Join Stephen Graham Jones and artist Davide Gianfelice for Earthdivers #1, the beginning of an unforgettable ongoing historical/sci-fi slasher!
The year is 2112, and it’s the apocalypse exactly as expected: rivers receding, oceans rising, civilization crumbling. Humanity has given up hope, except for a group of outcast Indigenous survivors who have discovered a time travel portal in a cave in the middle of the desert and figured out where the world took a sharp turn for the worst: America.
Convinced that the only way to save the world is to rewrite its past, they send one of their own on a bloody, one-way mission back to 1492 to kill Christopher Columbus before he reaches the so-called New World. But taking down an icon is no easy task, and his actions could prove devastating for his friends in the future.
Join Stephen Graham Jones and artist Davide Gianfelice for Earthdivers #1, the beginning of an unforgettable ongoing historical/sci-fi slasher!
35 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2022
About the author
Stephen Graham Jones
222 books10.9k followersStephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of thirty or thirty-five books. He really likes werewolves and slashers. Favorite novels change daily, but Valis and Love Medicine and Lonesome Dove and It and The Things They Carried are all usually up there somewhere. Stephen lives in Boulder, Colorado. It's a big change from the West Texas he grew up in.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
October 5, 2022
This is only the beginning.
The world building.
Introduction to characters.
The setup for this quest to kill Christopher Columbus-a profound enemy to Indigenous people-in order to alter the landscape of American history.
I love that there's this potential for some provocative discussions centered around the idea that if we could go back in time and eliminate a person who had such a huge negative impact on society for generations, would that solve the problem? Would the universe just resurrect someone else? Would erasing this person have other consequences? You know, that whole 'Back to the Future' issue.
The artwork is phenomenal.
I established a subscription for this comic at my local comic book store. They pull new titles as they come in and put it aside for you--I'll never miss future issues. :)
The world building.
Introduction to characters.
The setup for this quest to kill Christopher Columbus-a profound enemy to Indigenous people-in order to alter the landscape of American history.
I love that there's this potential for some provocative discussions centered around the idea that if we could go back in time and eliminate a person who had such a huge negative impact on society for generations, would that solve the problem? Would the universe just resurrect someone else? Would erasing this person have other consequences? You know, that whole 'Back to the Future' issue.
The artwork is phenomenal.
I established a subscription for this comic at my local comic book store. They pull new titles as they come in and put it aside for you--I'll never miss future issues. :)
November 3, 2022
Whew yall! This is going to be a damn good series. I’m so glad that Jones has been able to write on a continuing series. There’s so much that he can do with this that I haven’t seen in comics before. As a whole, readers will be following several main characters as they attempt to reverse the affects of a cataclysmic event by undoing history, specifically by making sure Columbus never makes his journey across the ocean. It’s a dark first issue because the history of Columbus invading and taking Native land is dark. There are content warnings for gore and violence. What I’m happy to see in this is the exploration of characters. Our main character has to make some quick and tough decisions at the expense of others to save the whole world. I have a feeling that we won’t always care for him, but the intention is to look at the bigger picture. The artwork on this is also phenomenal. The coloring, the inking! Everything is amazing. I cannot wait to dive into issue #2 because I know it’s going to be just as good!
October 29, 2022
Damn. I should have waited until the full first volume released, like I usually do with graphic novels. This was just a tiny little taste of the story and I'm already hooked!
✨ Representation: multiple Native American main characters
✨ Content warnings for:
———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
✨ Representation: multiple Native American main characters
✨ Content warnings for:
———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
December 7, 2022
Intriguing
Stephen Graham Jones provides an interesting concept--to save the world Columbus must die. The story is accompanied by great artwork from Davide Gianfelice and I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes.
Thanks to #NetGalley, and #IDW for the ARC of #Earthdivers.
Stephen Graham Jones provides an interesting concept--to save the world Columbus must die. The story is accompanied by great artwork from Davide Gianfelice and I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes.
Thanks to #NetGalley, and #IDW for the ARC of #Earthdivers.
October 5, 2022
The start of what I know will be a wonderful series. Stephen Graham Jones has created such an interesting story about what would happen if the world could be saved by going back in time and killing Christopher Columbus before he discovered America. WHAT?! I am here for this story through and through. Jones has quickly established great characters. And the illustrations?? THE COLORING?! It's just an incredible piece of work already and I can't wait for the next issue!
October 5, 2022
Thrilling!
I've been eagerly awaiting the release of this series and was so excited to see it had downloaded to my tablet. Tad has a rough and dangerous road ahead of if he's going to save the earth.
This is an exciting start and I can't wait for next month's edition!
I've been eagerly awaiting the release of this series and was so excited to see it had downloaded to my tablet. Tad has a rough and dangerous road ahead of if he's going to save the earth.
This is an exciting start and I can't wait for next month's edition!
January 30, 2023
“Earth Divers”, by Stephen Graham Jones, is an interesting tale about saving the world. The year is 2112 and individuals have left the earth. Four characters believe devise a plan to go back in time and kill Christopher Columbus. They are convinced that this is the solution.
This 30 page comic sucked me into the narrative. “Earth Divers” switched between the perspectives and timeline well. So far, there is a lot of world building. As the narrative switches between 1492 and 2112, the story gets dark pretty quickly.
The illustrations in this comic are colorful and eye grabbing. I feel it was a great start to the series. I am intrigued to see where the story takes me.
This 30 page comic sucked me into the narrative. “Earth Divers” switched between the perspectives and timeline well. So far, there is a lot of world building. As the narrative switches between 1492 and 2112, the story gets dark pretty quickly.
The illustrations in this comic are colorful and eye grabbing. I feel it was a great start to the series. I am intrigued to see where the story takes me.
November 18, 2022
An intriguing start to a new series. This is about a group of individuals in the future traveling to the past to kill Christopher Columbus and so far I have liked the art and would be interested in reading more if they became available to me at the library.
November 2, 2022
In the year 2112 the apocalypse is happening, global warming and societal collapse, the world has lost hope. But a group of Indigenous outcasts find a portal that can send people back in time. What better way to save the world than send someone back in time to kill Christopher Columbus to keep him from “discovering” (colonizing) America?
The premise of this book amazing! I was so excited to see this story being told. I would also like to go back in time and kill Christopher Columbus😊. Also, look at this cover! The cover drew me in before I even knew what the book was about. It is incredibly engrossing.
I enjoyed this! The art was beautiful and it’s such a great story. This was just a taste of what’s to come in this series, so I’m intrigued. I did find it to be confusing at times though. The dialogue was a little convoluted, and the scenes skipped around too much without resolution for the previous scene. I think it could’ve benefited from having longer individual scenes.
But I did enjoy this! Loved the art, the story, and I’m excited to see the character development as the series continues. Can’t wait to see the colonizers get what they deserve!
3.5 stars rounded up!
Thank you NetGalley and IDW Publishing for this arc. All opinions are my own.
The premise of this book amazing! I was so excited to see this story being told. I would also like to go back in time and kill Christopher Columbus😊. Also, look at this cover! The cover drew me in before I even knew what the book was about. It is incredibly engrossing.
I enjoyed this! The art was beautiful and it’s such a great story. This was just a taste of what’s to come in this series, so I’m intrigued. I did find it to be confusing at times though. The dialogue was a little convoluted, and the scenes skipped around too much without resolution for the previous scene. I think it could’ve benefited from having longer individual scenes.
But I did enjoy this! Loved the art, the story, and I’m excited to see the character development as the series continues. Can’t wait to see the colonizers get what they deserve!
3.5 stars rounded up!
Thank you NetGalley and IDW Publishing for this arc. All opinions are my own.
December 4, 2022
So the year is 2112. The the oceans have all risen and the good drinking water is gone. People have left the planet. However, these 4 people have found a cave that lets one person go thru and time travel. These four people seem the believe the earth is the way it is because of America. Their plan? Go back in time to 1492 and kill Columbus so he never makes the voyage. How they found the cave, how the discovered you could time travel there and why they think everything is America’s fault is not explained or even mentioned once. Maybe it will come to light as the story progresses. If not, this tale may not end up being very good. The guy who goes back in time immediately finds himself in a tough spot. It’s up in the air if this pans out to be any good.
November 24, 2022
The perfect reads for a day like today 😊😂
“This is our one shot. The only way for the world to live is if America dies, right? If America never even happens.”
Earthdivers is an ongoing graphic novel by SGJ set in the dystopian future, 2112, where some have left earth behind, but some weren’t able to just abandon the desolate wasteland so they were left to fend for themselves. After discovering a Time Machine in a mountain a group of Indigenous people think up a plan to fix all this and set things right. They plan to go back in time to kill Christopher Columbus, and stop the formation of America.
I’ve never read any of Stephen’s work, I own a few of his books, but this one is the first I’ve gotten to and I think that’s perfect because the author, concept, and art style was fantastic I really enjoyed it! The way the story was put together, and the switching POVs made this feel longer than it was in a good way. This first one is only 30 pages, but still manages to suck you in completely. I’ve already ordered the other one, and preordered the ones I could. I can already tell this is going to be an epic story!
“This is our one shot. The only way for the world to live is if America dies, right? If America never even happens.”
Earthdivers is an ongoing graphic novel by SGJ set in the dystopian future, 2112, where some have left earth behind, but some weren’t able to just abandon the desolate wasteland so they were left to fend for themselves. After discovering a Time Machine in a mountain a group of Indigenous people think up a plan to fix all this and set things right. They plan to go back in time to kill Christopher Columbus, and stop the formation of America.
I’ve never read any of Stephen’s work, I own a few of his books, but this one is the first I’ve gotten to and I think that’s perfect because the author, concept, and art style was fantastic I really enjoyed it! The way the story was put together, and the switching POVs made this feel longer than it was in a good way. This first one is only 30 pages, but still manages to suck you in completely. I’ve already ordered the other one, and preordered the ones I could. I can already tell this is going to be an epic story!
January 13, 2023
Stephen Graham Jones provides an interesting premise for this graphic novel on what would happen if the world could be saved by traveling back in time and killing Christopher Columbus before he discovered America.
This is a great start to the series and I am looking forward to seeing where it is headed. Well established characters, amazing illustrations and vibrant coloring.
I want to thank NetGalley, Stephen Graham Jones and Davide Gianfelice and IDW Publishing for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.
This is a great start to the series and I am looking forward to seeing where it is headed. Well established characters, amazing illustrations and vibrant coloring.
I want to thank NetGalley, Stephen Graham Jones and Davide Gianfelice and IDW Publishing for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.
November 7, 2022
Very interesting premise here: roughly 100 years in the future, the world has, for all intents and purposes, come to an end. A few Native American people have survived way out in the desert and have discovered a cave that will allow them to go back in time - so of course they decide that if they kill Christopher Columbus, and therefore "America" never happens, they can prevent the apocalypse.
October 13, 2022
Fantastic concept and great characters. I loved how Jones interspersed the action from 1492 with what was happening in 2112 and hinted at the nature of the time travel, without giving everything away too soon. The art is wonderful, too. I can't wait to read the next issue.
December 2, 2022
An excellent story and a fabulous concept Great artwork
I chose to rate this first issue of Earthdivers as 5 out of 5 Stars because the story is compelling and the artwork is absolutely stunning.
I am a fan of everything Stephen Graham Jones writes.
I love the idea that stopping Columbus from "discovering" the "New World" would have stopped colonization. It is an extremely interesting thought experiment.
I can't wait to read the test of this graphic novel series.
I chose to rate this first issue of Earthdivers as 5 out of 5 Stars because the story is compelling and the artwork is absolutely stunning.
I am a fan of everything Stephen Graham Jones writes.
I love the idea that stopping Columbus from "discovering" the "New World" would have stopped colonization. It is an extremely interesting thought experiment.
I can't wait to read the test of this graphic novel series.
October 5, 2022
4.5 stars
October 6, 2022
Can't wait for the next installments!
A lot of sophisticated narrative fabric, woven at just the right tightness and patterning.
A lot of sophisticated narrative fabric, woven at just the right tightness and patterning.
November 20, 2022
Jones ain't fucking around.
November 28, 2022
Lots of fun. Can't wait for the next issues!
March 26, 2023
Exquisite, violent, suspenseful, horrific.
October 9, 2022
This Issue #1 is a ripping first entry in what promises more of the same. Beautiful visuals and a tremendously engaging opening sequence. The central premise is thought provoking and jarring - an intentionally discomforting update to the “would you go back and kill Hitler?” question.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2022
I was hooked at the Kill Columbus tagline. It was ok. Issue one is usually a lot of backstory and not a lot of plot so I will be continuing to see where this is going. Stephen Graham Jones wrote the Only Good Indians and I loved that book. I am excited to see what he will do with a comic book.
3 stars for now
3 stars for now
December 29, 2022
A lot of world building so far, but I like where it’s going in the end. On to volume 2! I need to know what kind of man Tad turned into!!
December 31, 2022
Great idea, and a promising execution. This was very short, almost like a teaser trailer, to give you a taste of what's to come. This is gonna be great!
It's the name Stephen Graham Jones for me, love his creativity, i requested it so fast when i saw it on Netgalley. Sadly, the publishers only decided to make it available to read on Adobe reader which is such a chore to read on! I'm gonna that has greatly hindered my enjoyment of this. I'll try to get it in hard copy when i can.
It's the name Stephen Graham Jones for me, love his creativity, i requested it so fast when i saw it on Netgalley. Sadly, the publishers only decided to make it available to read on Adobe reader which is such a chore to read on! I'm gonna that has greatly hindered my enjoyment of this. I'll try to get it in hard copy when i can.
November 24, 2022
An intriguing start to what promises to be a border-pushing comic series, Earthdivers #1 throws readers right into the action of this new world and shows them the importance of what's at stake within the first few panels.
Set a century or so into the future where climate change has devastated the world and the wealthy and elite abandon the planet for other sanctuaries outside of Earth's orbit, Jones introduces us to a group of Native American characters who seek to go back in time to stop Christopher Columbus from ever discovering North America and the 'New World' in general, therefore staving off the eventual Industrial Revolution that led to the modern-day climate catastrophe of the comic. How do they do this? Simple--they found a cave near Monument Valley before the action on the page starts, and they send one of their group through it and to the shipyards where Columbus's ships wait before setting sail in 1492.
This first issue has everything you want in an introductory issue--an engaging and quick hook, beautiful artwork, crisp and realistic dialogue, and lots of action. While it takes a few pages to truly get a grasp on what's going on--there are parts where we flip back and forth from the future present to the alternative past to the point where the transitions are jarring and seem a bit sudden--the action and overall plot of the story is well established by the time the first five pages passes, and we watch as one of the characters has to kill and then impersonate a sailor to get on board one of Columbus's three ships.
I was surprised at how utterly dark this first issue was, and I mean that in a good way--Jones writes the main character to be realistic in his situation and scenario to the point of killing innocent bystanders, and, over the course of a 30-page comic, ponders deep philosophical questions, such as is it more important to sacrifice an individual for a greater good, or is every life equal and worthy of protection? There is harm to a younger character in the closing pages as well that introduces us readers to the idea that the main character sent back in time will be heartless when needed, and I'm glad Jones chose to adopt a more mature, realistic tone to the comic rather than 'Marvelizing' it, which, given the subject matter of this series, would ring incredibly hollow.
Everything about the art as well, from the illustrations themselves to the coloring, lettering, and inking, is spot on, and it adds both texture and depth to the overall narrative. I never struggled to understand the action taking place on the page, and the colors are both muted and beautiful at appropriate times, enhancing the overall mood of the issue itself.
This is a great start to what promises to be a controversial and thrilling series. When it was first announced that Jones was writing a comic series that sought to kill Christopher Columbus and prevent America from ever having been founded in the first place, I knew it would rankle a certain set of the American population, but I'm here for all of it and more. Native American themes, tribal identities, and issues are touched on briefly throughout the first issue, and I hope Jones dives more into those as the story goes on, especially in the future present storyline of the series. I will be ordering each individual issue as they come out now, and I'm hoping this series continues to get better and better as we discover more about each character and the new reality being formed in the alternative past!
Thanks to NetGalley, IDW, and Stephen Graham Jones & Davide Gianfelice for the digital ARC of Earthdivers #1 in exchange for an honest review.
Set a century or so into the future where climate change has devastated the world and the wealthy and elite abandon the planet for other sanctuaries outside of Earth's orbit, Jones introduces us to a group of Native American characters who seek to go back in time to stop Christopher Columbus from ever discovering North America and the 'New World' in general, therefore staving off the eventual Industrial Revolution that led to the modern-day climate catastrophe of the comic. How do they do this? Simple--they found a cave near Monument Valley before the action on the page starts, and they send one of their group through it and to the shipyards where Columbus's ships wait before setting sail in 1492.
This first issue has everything you want in an introductory issue--an engaging and quick hook, beautiful artwork, crisp and realistic dialogue, and lots of action. While it takes a few pages to truly get a grasp on what's going on--there are parts where we flip back and forth from the future present to the alternative past to the point where the transitions are jarring and seem a bit sudden--the action and overall plot of the story is well established by the time the first five pages passes, and we watch as one of the characters has to kill and then impersonate a sailor to get on board one of Columbus's three ships.
I was surprised at how utterly dark this first issue was, and I mean that in a good way--Jones writes the main character to be realistic in his situation and scenario to the point of killing innocent bystanders, and, over the course of a 30-page comic, ponders deep philosophical questions, such as is it more important to sacrifice an individual for a greater good, or is every life equal and worthy of protection? There is harm to a younger character in the closing pages as well that introduces us readers to the idea that the main character sent back in time will be heartless when needed, and I'm glad Jones chose to adopt a more mature, realistic tone to the comic rather than 'Marvelizing' it, which, given the subject matter of this series, would ring incredibly hollow.
Everything about the art as well, from the illustrations themselves to the coloring, lettering, and inking, is spot on, and it adds both texture and depth to the overall narrative. I never struggled to understand the action taking place on the page, and the colors are both muted and beautiful at appropriate times, enhancing the overall mood of the issue itself.
This is a great start to what promises to be a controversial and thrilling series. When it was first announced that Jones was writing a comic series that sought to kill Christopher Columbus and prevent America from ever having been founded in the first place, I knew it would rankle a certain set of the American population, but I'm here for all of it and more. Native American themes, tribal identities, and issues are touched on briefly throughout the first issue, and I hope Jones dives more into those as the story goes on, especially in the future present storyline of the series. I will be ordering each individual issue as they come out now, and I'm hoping this series continues to get better and better as we discover more about each character and the new reality being formed in the alternative past!
Thanks to NetGalley, IDW, and Stephen Graham Jones & Davide Gianfelice for the digital ARC of Earthdivers #1 in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2022
Earthdivers #1 is the start of a brand new series by IDW. It's written by Stephen Graham Jones – one of the best horror authors around. So you just know this series will hit you right in the feels and then some.
The series begins in the year 2112, with the world in ruins. As it turns out, the scientists may have been right when they warned us about those rising oceans. Whoops. One group of people may have a solution to everything gone wrong – they just have to go back in time and kill Christopher Columbus.
Writing
What would it be if you could go back in time to right one wrong? Would you erase a horrible person from the earth or find a different solution? Earthdivers #1 explores this core concept, with Stephen Graham Jones pointing fingers directly at the one and only Christopher Columbus as the root of many problems.
When you think about the butterfly effect, it's easy to see how one change such as this would drastically change how our history books were written. Of course, anybody that's spent anytime reading time travel fiction knows just how dangerous such a venture would be.
Much of the first issue is spent bouncing back and forth between two points in time. 2112 and 1492. It doesn't take long for the story to get quite dark, but that was probably to be expected (think about that point in history – it won't take long to get there).
Stephen Graham Jones did a brilliant job setting the scene in this issue, and I can't wait to see what happens next. Simultaneously, I'm dreading it. I've already become attached to the main group in this story, and I'm worried about how it will go from here...
Artwork
Wow. If I thought the writing of Earthdivers #1 was terrific, I was blown away by the artwork inside. Davide Giangelice (pencils), Joana LaFuente (colors), and Steve Wands (letters) are a dream team! Seriously, their work enhanced the impact of this story tenfold.
In particular, I enjoyed the character design in this issue. Each character had so much personality, even at a glance. Likewise, they did an excellent job of making it easy to tell each character apart, including the series' future antagonist (presumably).
The colors complement these darker tones, and I look forward to seeing how they adapt and progress as time goes on. I will have to pick up the full volume of Earthdivers because I need more.
Conclusion
Earthdivers #1 is an intense start to the series. It grabs readers and refuses to let go, pulling us down the science fiction rabbit hole that is time travel. I know things will likely get worse before they get better, but I am here for it.
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
The series begins in the year 2112, with the world in ruins. As it turns out, the scientists may have been right when they warned us about those rising oceans. Whoops. One group of people may have a solution to everything gone wrong – they just have to go back in time and kill Christopher Columbus.
Writing
What would it be if you could go back in time to right one wrong? Would you erase a horrible person from the earth or find a different solution? Earthdivers #1 explores this core concept, with Stephen Graham Jones pointing fingers directly at the one and only Christopher Columbus as the root of many problems.
When you think about the butterfly effect, it's easy to see how one change such as this would drastically change how our history books were written. Of course, anybody that's spent anytime reading time travel fiction knows just how dangerous such a venture would be.
Much of the first issue is spent bouncing back and forth between two points in time. 2112 and 1492. It doesn't take long for the story to get quite dark, but that was probably to be expected (think about that point in history – it won't take long to get there).
Stephen Graham Jones did a brilliant job setting the scene in this issue, and I can't wait to see what happens next. Simultaneously, I'm dreading it. I've already become attached to the main group in this story, and I'm worried about how it will go from here...
Artwork
Wow. If I thought the writing of Earthdivers #1 was terrific, I was blown away by the artwork inside. Davide Giangelice (pencils), Joana LaFuente (colors), and Steve Wands (letters) are a dream team! Seriously, their work enhanced the impact of this story tenfold.
In particular, I enjoyed the character design in this issue. Each character had so much personality, even at a glance. Likewise, they did an excellent job of making it easy to tell each character apart, including the series' future antagonist (presumably).
The colors complement these darker tones, and I look forward to seeing how they adapt and progress as time goes on. I will have to pick up the full volume of Earthdivers because I need more.
Conclusion
Earthdivers #1 is an intense start to the series. It grabs readers and refuses to let go, pulling us down the science fiction rabbit hole that is time travel. I know things will likely get worse before they get better, but I am here for it.
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
October 12, 2022
This book is very poorly thought out. It's unclear to me what killing Columbus or preventing the founding of America is meant to accomplish, as in the first page it's established the world is coming to an end based on Mayan prophecies of nature going awry, nothing to do with American flying nukes or whatever.
Even if it was modern America instigating nuclear war or something, it seems like overkill to solve that by preventing the founding of America altogether. I could sort of get the logic of going back in time to kill Oppenheimer before he develops the atomic bomb if you specifically want to prevent Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but going back to prevent the founding of America to prevent the end of the world seems to make about as much sense as the Cree going back in time to kill the first fish to crawl onto dry land in order to prevent the Battle of the Belly River. You'd be solving the problem of the Blackfeet deaths by solving the problem of humanity even existing in the first place, and in that case, what's the point?
One could argue the point isn't so much to save the world as it would be to stop genocide, but this has the same problem. If one were to go back in time and killed Columbus or Genghis Kahn or Hitler, while you may be preventing one genocide, wouldn't be perpetrating another one against everyone who will now go unborn based on the changes you made to history, including most likely yourself and everyone you love. Furthermore, is it even going to result in a better world? Won't some other genocidal tyrant step up in the place of Columbus and cause just as much bloodshed? And isn't the world and human race eventually going to end anyway? Eventually people will develop nuclear weapons, or an asteroid will hit, or we'll rape the planet to destruction.
Even for magic realism/fantasy/sci-fi this is very poorly thought out and not really worth one's time.
Even if it was modern America instigating nuclear war or something, it seems like overkill to solve that by preventing the founding of America altogether. I could sort of get the logic of going back in time to kill Oppenheimer before he develops the atomic bomb if you specifically want to prevent Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but going back to prevent the founding of America to prevent the end of the world seems to make about as much sense as the Cree going back in time to kill the first fish to crawl onto dry land in order to prevent the Battle of the Belly River. You'd be solving the problem of the Blackfeet deaths by solving the problem of humanity even existing in the first place, and in that case, what's the point?
One could argue the point isn't so much to save the world as it would be to stop genocide, but this has the same problem. If one were to go back in time and killed Columbus or Genghis Kahn or Hitler, while you may be preventing one genocide, wouldn't be perpetrating another one against everyone who will now go unborn based on the changes you made to history, including most likely yourself and everyone you love. Furthermore, is it even going to result in a better world? Won't some other genocidal tyrant step up in the place of Columbus and cause just as much bloodshed? And isn't the world and human race eventually going to end anyway? Eventually people will develop nuclear weapons, or an asteroid will hit, or we'll rape the planet to destruction.
Even for magic realism/fantasy/sci-fi this is very poorly thought out and not really worth one's time.
November 4, 2022
Honestly if I hadn't read the synopsis before jumping in, I would have been very confused. The premise is intriguing but the text and art don't communicate well what's happening - especially worrisome for a first volume that's intended primarily as story set up. I can appreciate re-reading and checking back in a comic for references and details, but I struggle with needing to do that within the same volume just for comprehension.
There are interesting concepts introduced that I hope will be examined more deeply in further volumes, especially the idea of doing bad things for a good cause and who a person making those choices might become. There's a lot of promise for upcoming story! But as an opening hook, this volume is lacking. Tad's part of the story in the past drives the narrative, while the other characters waiting in the future are just sort of there; and the jumping back and forth between the two feels disjointed and keeps either from developing a good flow. The art is dark and dramatic in a great way. The cover - which is what caught my eye in the first place - is absolutely superb. I have hopes that this will continue into something awesome! I'm just not quite sold yet.
Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There are interesting concepts introduced that I hope will be examined more deeply in further volumes, especially the idea of doing bad things for a good cause and who a person making those choices might become. There's a lot of promise for upcoming story! But as an opening hook, this volume is lacking. Tad's part of the story in the past drives the narrative, while the other characters waiting in the future are just sort of there; and the jumping back and forth between the two feels disjointed and keeps either from developing a good flow. The art is dark and dramatic in a great way. The cover - which is what caught my eye in the first place - is absolutely superb. I have hopes that this will continue into something awesome! I'm just not quite sold yet.
Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2023
This is the first book in what promises to be a fascinating series. Book one sets up the context (it's post-apocalyptic 2112, and a small Indigenous group discovers a time portal in a desert cave), the premise (if they can travel back in time and kill Christopher Columbus before he arrives in North America, they can alter the course of history and save the world), and the characters and their dynamics. Only one person can use the portal at a time, and in this issue Tad, a linguistics scholar, is the obvious choice, but he has to leave his wife behind and may never be able to to return to her. The rest of the group waits for any evidence or change in the historical record to find out if he was successful. When Tad travels through the portal and makes it back to Spain alone, he has to join the crew of Columbus' expedition, and not only look the part and speak the language, but also think quickly on his feet to try to fit in as an experienced sailor without drawing suspicion as to his true purpose. This issue sets up some exciting and morally complex character arcs - what are you willing to do for the greater good, even at the expense of the individual? Tad has to make some morally questionable choices in pursuit of his goal, and I'm curious to see what the series will do with this theme as the story progresses. The artwork is stunning as well, and conveys character emotions and a sense of dramatic tension and action.
I loved this book. It's an intriguing and original premise, and I'm so excited to continue reading to see where the story goes from here. I'm officially obsessed.
I loved this book. It's an intriguing and original premise, and I'm so excited to continue reading to see where the story goes from here. I'm officially obsessed.
October 11, 2022
I had no idea Stephen Graham Jones had this series coming up, so when I saw the first issue drop I was curious what this was going to be about...
Well, if the title doesn't give it away, the premise of this story is to kill Columbus and prevent America from being established. After the world comes to an end, the last people in America, much like the very first, are indigenous people. We don't exactly know how they found the "time machine" yet, and we don't know if the plan will even work, but this first issue throws us right into a world where the last hope to save America is to prevent it from ever happening.
Overall, this was a great introduction to the world we are thrusted in and the situation at hand. I love a good time travel story, and I’m glad SGJ is doing a version of his own (with the help of the amazing artists David Gianfelice and Joana Lafuente). The time travel system is very interesting, and the plan to kill Columbus is intriguing. The art work is captivating, yet uses a nice minimalist approach that lets the colors and text pop. I love the grapple the protagonist faces while trying to accomplish this task--it also shows some irony at hand. Is it better to kill the person that caused so many deaths and a "new world" built on racism and violence? Is it even possible to avoid adding more violence to the situation? To kill for good is still killing. This first issue grapples with these issues, and it tells us a little, but the building blocks are in place to show us a lot. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
Well, if the title doesn't give it away, the premise of this story is to kill Columbus and prevent America from being established. After the world comes to an end, the last people in America, much like the very first, are indigenous people. We don't exactly know how they found the "time machine" yet, and we don't know if the plan will even work, but this first issue throws us right into a world where the last hope to save America is to prevent it from ever happening.
Overall, this was a great introduction to the world we are thrusted in and the situation at hand. I love a good time travel story, and I’m glad SGJ is doing a version of his own (with the help of the amazing artists David Gianfelice and Joana Lafuente). The time travel system is very interesting, and the plan to kill Columbus is intriguing. The art work is captivating, yet uses a nice minimalist approach that lets the colors and text pop. I love the grapple the protagonist faces while trying to accomplish this task--it also shows some irony at hand. Is it better to kill the person that caused so many deaths and a "new world" built on racism and violence? Is it even possible to avoid adding more violence to the situation? To kill for good is still killing. This first issue grapples with these issues, and it tells us a little, but the building blocks are in place to show us a lot. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews